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I felt that Raki is instrumental in bringing Clare back to human form when she almost awaken while fighting the Voracious Eater in Rabona. Remember how he ran forward and hugged her when she was on the verge of awakening. Clare did similar things to Jean and reverted Jean to her human form.

He probably reminded Clare of herself when she was younger following Teresa around. As another poster mention in another thread. Raki also serves as a human link to the otherwise brutal world of Claymore.

It would be somewhat funny to see Raki grow stronger, or a powerful human faction that can equal the power of the Claymores and that of the Abyssals, and might further complicate the storyline at this stage. Considering there is still a lot of unanswered questions about the Claymores and the world they live in...

One of the major metaphors in play with the yoma is that they (like most murderous creatures in anime) tend to derive their worst qualities from humans. They're gruesome parodies of negative human emotions. So to say that Raki is meant to represent the human part of the story, then you have to take into account the human as monsters part of the equation. We never find out where yoma come from, so one possible origin is from people( e.g. a wendigo)

Furthur into this theme is of course a popular quote for human evil:If you stare into the Abyss long enough the Abyss stares back at you.
- Friedrich Nietzsche
The most powerful awakened ones are called the Abyssal Ones, or Dwellers of the Abyss(that's the translation I prefer anyways), which sort of leads into the Raki situation I think. What does a normal human do when he's surrounded by monsters? He fights, and as he fights, gains power and starts to develop the savage qualities we define as monstrous. I'm guessing that when Isley offers him the power of a Claymore, he's going to take it without a second thought since he will be able to help and protect Claire.

So basically the whiny wimpy Raki is going to evolve into a kick ass Claymore in order to protect Claire. Raki as he first appears is basically the helpless bystandard, which is my least favorite anime stock character since they involve alot of pointless screaming. But! if Raki does end up in the kick ass battle partner category, I'm willing to stomach the first one in order to get at the second.

Overall I love Raki's character, and wanna see him further develop. Ya he was annoying in the first few eps, but now he's maturing as the story unfolds. One thing about the thing said earlier about the yoma's taking on the worse aspects of the humans, Raki's role and character are direct counterpoint to the violence, its kinda nice tempering heated battles, viscous killing monsters, and cold hearted actions with a little childlike innocence and naivety because it enhances the more brutal scenes.

In all seriousness, what has Raki brought to the table? Sure, you can say that he humanized Clare, but didn't a humanized Claymore whom I shall not name get well, owned because of her humanization?

I think it is very possible we could have seen a stronger Clare, if Raki was never involved in the process. I mean we could see a complete mirror situation if it were to happen where Clare does not deal the finishing blow in the quickest of manner because of the relationship that she shared with Raki. A prime example and I believe in the only example is Theresa and Clare. Is it destined that Theresa's and Clare's fate must be intertwined this much?

You can say Raki saved Clare from the one church incident but would that have happened the same way if Clare didn't have to babysit a kid?

In all seriousness, what has Raki brought to the table? Sure, you can say that he humanized Clare, but didn't a humanized Claymore whom I shall not name get well, owned because of her humanization?

Are the human feelings to blame? Or the one who abused of that said human feelings to cowardly kill her instead? Think about that.

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I think it is very possible we could have seen a stronger Clare, if Raki was never involved in the process. I mean we could see a complete mirror situation if it were to happen where Clare does not deal the finishing blow in the quickest of manner because of the relationship that she shared with Raki. A prime example and I believe in the only example is Theresa and Clare. Is it destined that Theresa's and Clare's fate must be intertwined this much?

You can say Raki saved Clare from the one church incident but would that have happened the same way if Clare didn't have to babysit a kid?

No. We would have a DEAD Clare! Or even a FULLY AWAKED Clare! Or maybe a WEAK Clare. Never a stronger Clare! Let's considerate what happened in this Rabona's Arc:

1) Clare was chosen for that mission in Rabona EXACTLY because she had Raki along her, so they could go to Rabona disguised as two traveling siblings. Otherwise, probably any other Claymore stronger than her would be chosen.

2) Was Raki who avoided she would be arrested by that two guards when they started to suspect of her.

3) Without Raki whinning about how much she was special and good hearted, probably they would never trust her enough to treat her wounds... abandoning her to die alone. The two guards would never trust her enough to fight along her against that big youma, too.

4) It was Raki who said to Galk throw to Clare that statue with her sword Claymore inside. Without that, she would be dead by the youma.

5) Even if she could survive all that, she was so wounded she was awaking. So she ASKED to Galk to kill her before she awakens completely. It was Raki who stops him, protecting her with his own body.

Would Clare stop the awaking process with her strongwill alone? Hardly. She tried and failed. That's why she asked Galk to kill her before that. The second time she almost awakens was during episode 17. Galatea saved her, too.

In short, without Raki she would be dead by now... plenty of times.

EDIT:

And besides, the reason because she is strong now is because she half-awake in that mission in Rabona. She was sent her because of him. And the reason because she met Miria, Helen and Deneve in that mission was because she half-awaked.

In other words, even if she was alive without him, she would still be the same stoic and emotionless #47 Claymore, the weakest of them all.

Are the human feelings to blame? Or the one who abused of that said human feelings to cowardly kill her instead? Think about that.

Theresa died because she did not lay down the finishing bow when the opportunity was given to her. I think there was two opportunities that could have ended the lives of the four sent to kill her. She did not because she kept on thinking about Clare.

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Originally Posted by PGilis

No. We would have a DEAD Clare! Or even a FULLY AWAKED Clare! Or maybe a WEAK Clare. Never a stronger Clare! Let's considerate what happened in this Rabona's Arc:

1) Clare was chosen for that mission in Rabona EXACTLY because she had Raki along her, so they could go to Rabona disguised as two traveling siblings. Otherwise, probably any other Claymore stronger than her would be chosen.

2) Was Raki who avoided she would be arrested by that two guards when they started to suspect of her.

3) Without Raki whinning about how much she was special and good hearted, probably they would never trust her enough to treat her wounds... abandoning her to die alone. The two guards would never trust her enough to fight along her against that big youma, too.

4) It was Raki who said to Galk throw to Clare that statue with her sword Claymore inside. Without that, she would be dead by the youma.

5) Even if she could survive all that, she was so wounded she was awaking. So she ASKED to Galk to kill her before she awakens completely. It was Raki who stops him, protecting her with his own body.

Would Clare stop the awaking process with her strongwill alone? Hardly. She tried and failed. That's why she asked Galk to kill her before that. The second time she almost awakens was during episode 17. Galatea saved her, too.

In short, without Raki she would be dead by now... plenty of times.

EDIT:

And besides, the reason because she is strong now is because she half-awake in that mission in Rabona. She was sent her because of him. And the reason because she met Miria, Helen and Deneve in that mission was because she half-awaked.

In other words, even if she was alive without him, she would still be the same stoic and emotionless #47 Claymore, the weakest of them all.

To say that she would be the weakest of them all would be kinda overblown. I mean yes, Clare does tend to go Super Saiyan when Raki is in trouble, but what would she be without him? She would have continued her quest for vengeance and have gotten stronger. I think a decent example although it does not wholly relate to this issue is in Naruto with Sasuke.

Sasuke who was the loner made friends with Naruto and crew and put his quest on the side. When he realized what he really wanted he abandoned them and gained more power then he could sticking around with "friends".

About the fully awakened Clare, wouldn't that be the best method to go against Priscilla?

To say that she would be the weakest of them all would be kinda overblown. I mean yes, Clare does tend to go Super Saiyan when Raki is in trouble, but what would she be without him? She would have continued her quest for vengeance and have gotten stronger. I think a decent example although it does not wholly relate to this issue is in Naruto with Sasuke.

Well without Raki, we know that Clare would have never met up with Miria, Deneve, and Helen. And without her, Miria, Deneve, and Helen would have died against that male awakened being. Plus, without Raki, should have never survived her fight with Ophelia, hence never meeting up with Irene.

Now lets assume that Clare does become very strong on her own. Either way, she would have been sent to North to fight awakened beings and without Miria, Jeane, Deneve, and Helen, her chance of survival are extremely slim.

The point is, Clare has a much less chance of survival, and even much lesser chance of killing Pricillia, without Raki.

And if she were to awaken, then she would have a completely different mind set, and she would be more likely to become Priscilla's ally then her enemy.

Well without Raki, we know that Clare would have never met up with Miria, Deneve, and Helen. And without her, Miria, Deneve, and Helen would have died against that male awakened being. Plus, without Raki, should have never survived her fight with Ophelia, hence never meeting up with Irene.

Now lets assume that Clare does become very strong on her own. Either way, she would have been sent to North to fight awakened beings and without Miria, Jeane, Deneve, and Helen, her chance of survival are extremely slim.

The point is, Clare has a much less chance of survival, and even much lesser chance of killing Pricillia, without Raki.

And if she were to awaken, then she would have a completely different mind set, and she would be more likely to become Priscilla's ally then her enemy.

Clare would not have been killed by Ophelia because she would have never partly awoken in the one arc with the Voracious Eater.

If Clare became strong on her own she would not have been sent North because before Raki it seems Clare was a poster child of what the Organization wanted. The Claymore sent North had problems so they were sent North, and if Clare never had Raki she would never do anything really stupid and she would be sent on regular missions which would not push her to the point where she needs to awaken.

If Clare became allies with Priscilla and shared the same relationship with her as Raki is now sharing with Priscilla, who is to say that is a bad thing.

Yes, I know what I said above just totally ruins the entire reason why Clare is fighting, but a man can dream.

If Clare became strong on her own she would not have been sent North because before Raki it seems Clare was a poster child of what the Organization wanted. The Claymore sent North had problems so they were sent North, and if Clare never had Raki she would never do anything really stupid and she would be sent on regular missions which would not push her to the point where she needs to awaken.

The only way Clare can become strong is if she by some chance half awakens without Raki. If she doesn't half awaken, then she has no chance against Pricillia, nor any other awakened being.

Now assuming she does half awaken without Raki inorder to be strong enough, then she would be a problem child to the organization and thus would be sent to the North for extrimination.

I really don't think Clare needs to be half awoken for her to be stronger. Yes, that process does enhance her abilities but the question can be does that stunt her growth because there is less room for it or does it enhance her growth because she is that much stronger that she could do that much more.

If we take into event that she does half awaken and is sent to the North for extermination, what is to prevent her from just fully awakening because of her life mission is threatened?